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Vidarbha leaders keenly watch Telangana situation
"We are hopeful that Vidarbha statehood demand would not be ignored this time. Most people of the region support the demand. If they are not on the streets fighting for it like in Telangana, it is because of the failed political leaders of the region who have time and again betrayed the cause," said Kishor Tiwari. "It is now beyond doubt that the developmental backlog of Vidarbha can not be removed as Maharashtra faces financial crunch. A new state is the only solution," ****
NAGPUR: With Telangana burning again, following en masse resignations of MLAs, MPs and ministers, pro-Vidarbha leaders are watching the situation in the neighboring state keenly. The Congress leaders in this region are hoping that the demand of statehood for Vidarbha, which is older, is tagged along and the Centre takes a holistic view on smaller states.
A day after Telangana resignations, frontline leaders of all parties in Vidarbha preferred to keep a studied silence but non-political activists and social leaders supporting the cause of a separate state from Maharashtra came together under the banner of Vidarbha Rajya Nirman Samiti (VRNS). This new organization was floated by some non-political persons after the all-party entity Vidarbha Rajya Sangram Samiti formed last year went defunct.
A day-long 'dharna' (sit-in) organized by the VRNS on Tuesday was a big draw with supporters joining in batches. Prominent leaders of VRNS including Dr Govind Verma, Haribhau Kedar, Shrinivas Khandewale, Rajkumar Tirpude, Ram Neole, B C Bhartiya, Kishore Tiwari, Ghanshyam Panpaliya later went in a delegation to submit a memorandum to the district collector. The memorandum addressed to prime minister Manmohan Singh stressed that the demand for Vidarbha was a century old and reasons for it were relevant today. Developmental aspirations of people of this region could be met only when a separate state of Vidarbha was created, the memorandum stated.
"The first states reorganization committee had supported creation of Vidarbha because of the region's distinct identity in central India. The Congress is unwilling as separate Vidarbha does not suit it politically," said Dr Verma. He said top leaders of all political parties in the region had lost credibility and that was the reason the statehood movement lost the mass appeal it had in the late 70s when Jambuwantrao Dhote led the agitation. A VRNS delegation was leaving shortly for New Delhi to meet president Pratibha Patil, the prime minister, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, BJP chief Nitin Gadkari as well as all parties supporting the cause of smaller states. "We are hopeful that Vidarbha statehood demand would not be ignored this time. Most people of the region support the demand. If they are not on the streets fighting for it like in Telangana, it is because of the failed political leaders of the region who have time and again betrayed the cause," said Kishor Tiwari. "It is now beyond doubt that the developmental backlog of Vidarbha can not be removed as Maharashtra faces financial crunch. A new state is the only solution," said another VRNS leader.
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